abcnovels
Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Chapter 45
To Mills
I lightly wash my clothes before I left the water .
I gently remove the dirt on my clothes with my hands .
Dirt sometimes create suspicions from the others .
On the other hand, cleanliness wins the trust of others .
Such an image makes a lot of difference .
I want to remove the dirt that could be removed from my clothing before I enter the city .
[......... . ]
I remember that woman that I had met earlier .
If I’m right, we are both aiming towards the same city called Mills .
That woman probably had some troubles herself .
We didn’t tell each other our names .
That’s because we don’t need those information at all .
We also weren’t going to travel together .
The woman must have thought the same .
It’s a situation where we would avoid stepping more than what’s necessary...
[Having troubles, huh... Well, I have some of my own as well . ]
I quickly finished washing my clothes .
[Well then, I guess it’s time to go . ]
[Piii!]
Pigimaru wraps around back into my robe .
I put on my clothes that seems to have dried up a bit and left the body of water .
Walking through the forest, I’m aiming towards Mills .
I stopped on the way of my journey .
It’s because Pigimaru is trying to say something .
[Pi?]
“What is it?”
That’s what I think it’s trying to say .
[It’s just that, I think I’m stuck on something... but what the thing I’m stuck on is... I don’t know . ]
It’s just like something is caught in between my teeth . I know it’s there, but I can’t get it off .
I can’t help but feel troubled as I resume walking through the forest while .
While walking through the forest, I looked upwards at the overlapping branches and leaves of differing trees .
Is it starting to turn into night?
However, even if the sun were to go down, I still have the light of my leather bag .
I also got used to the darkness because of the days I were in the ruins .
The day I spent in here was much easier compared to when I’m in that ruins .
However, I would like to arrive at Mills today if it were possible .
v
After a while, I could finally see a well-developed road in my path .
It seems that the road ahead were paved from here .
I stop for a while as I saw a wooden signboard on my path .
“Mills”
So I continued further into this long curved path, I would reach Mills?
If I keep going at this pace, it’s likely that I would arrive today .
When I continued walking further, I started passing by some people .
Most of them looks-like traveler by the way they were dressed .
I also passed by a carriage that had a luggage carrier on the back .
[Hmm?]
A high wall comes into my sight .
It’s probably the bulwark that’s protecting the city .
I found a simple gate in which I could likely pass through .
There are two gatekeepers standing near the gate .
One man and one woman .
They’re both wielding spears in their hand .
They also had a sword sheathed in their waist .
[......... . . ]
I should keep their first impression towards me to be as good as possible, right?
I talk to Pigimaru who’s hiding beneath my clothes .
[Keep quiet for now, okay?]
[Pii . ]
Pigimaru replied back with a soft cry of acknowledgement .
[And, if you’re to be found out... Well, let’s just do it just as how we practiced, okay? Do you still remember what our signal is?]
[Pii . ]
[Okay . ]
I drew a short breath .
Changing the consciousness within me...
I tried to pass through the gate .
[Wait . ]
I was stopped by the woman .
[You’re an unfamiliar face . ]
Does Mills scarcely have any outsiders who come in here?
Then, that means...
This place is on a scale where the gatekeeper could memorize who goes in and out of their gate huh...
[I can’t see any weapons on your body, but are you a mercenary?]
I softly laughed, showing an unreliable front towards them .
[Well... if there’s any work for me to do in here . ]
[Hahaaa~]
The female gatekeeper laughed a bit as she nodded in agreement .
[So you’re of those guys from the mountains who heard that there are people who are recruiting for people to raid that ruins, huh?]
Recruitment for raiding the ruins .
An unknown topic of discussion suddenly popped out .
I don’t think they’re talking about raiding that really dangerous Disposal Ruins but...
I don’t want to questioned here for saying otherwise .
I have to choose my words carefully .
[Yes, I heard there was some kind of interesting job in here . ]
If I say it this way, I would look like someone who heard of it but doesn’t really know the details .
I look up at the wall as if it were very unusual .
[However, I had nothing with this flourishing city so far so... I’m curious even with just these tall walls you have . ]
[Fuunnn... you’re saying that this is a “flourishing city” just with this scale huh... You must be from the countryside?]
The female guard looked at me from head to toe .
[It looks like your clothes were a bit dirty . ]
[It was a really long trip . Milles was far from home . ]
[It’s not Milles . This is Mills . Good grief... this is the problem with hillbillies who didn’t even hear the right information at all . ]
I laughed a bit, though it sounds forced .
[I’m sorry . ]
[Really... I don’t remember all the names of the people of this city . Hillbillies would always be hillbillies, you could spot one even if you’re not trying . But you, it’s as if you’ve never even went out of your village at all . It’s as if you’re completely dyed in the color of hillbillies . Umumu... with the ways things are, I don’t really know which one of us were living in the remote lands at all . ]
I think the gatekeepers have let down their guards a bit .
It may not be necessary, but I think I have to do some push .
[Please look at these . ]
I showed towards them my trembling arms .
[I’m actually really nervous right now when I have just seen your gate . ]
[Hahaha! Are you all right, young man!? Even the beautiful, slender woman who passed by earlier looks more like a warrior than you!]
A beautiful, slender woman .
Is that the woman I had met earlier in the forest?
The description is roughly described, but all the descriptions he had said applies to her .
The female gatekeeper put her hands on her waist .
The doubt on her face had completely disappeared .
[Well, I think if it’s just carrying the luggage of the mercenaries, you’d fit in just fine . Hey, this guy could pass through, right?]
The female gatekeeper confirmed it with man beside her .
[Yeah . In the first place, we were told by the marquis to accept the mercenaries who have gathered for the ruins . I don’t care if he’s going in . Oi you, get inside already . ]
I eased my expression a bit and thanked him .
[Thank you very much . I’ll do my best . ]
I’m finally passing through the gate .
A smile have been inadvertently lifted on my mouth .
...and I softly murmured out .
[It’s going well . ]
They didn’t inspect my body nor my luggage .
They are surprisingly loose on their security .
Everything seems to decide on the gatekeeper’s whims to some extent .
I cross over the bridge that pass through what seems to be a moat .
I exit out of the gate and found myself in a large street .
It could be somewhat similar to the villages, but you really can’t call this place a village .
It could be somewhat similar to the towns, but you really can’t call this place a town .
The impression I have of this place looks halfway between a town and a village .
This place closely resembles the image the streets of a rural area within Western Europe .
The street is a stone-paved road that extends straight through somewhere my eyes can’t see .
The surface of the stone pavements were a bit sooty .
It’s like the road had been there for a lot of years .
There are some people going here and there .
You can’t really say that this place is overflowing with people, but this place certainly is lively .
Is this the main street in this place?
[Well then . ]
First of all, let’s go look for an inn .
v
I had checked out three types of inns .
I’ve judged them based on the appearance of the people who went in and out of their establishment .
They all differ into high, middle and low-class .
I am now dressed like this .
For the time being, I think I should avoid going into those “high-class” inns...
I guess I’ll check out one of those “low-class” inns and ask how much their accommodation fees are .
I enter into the inn as I’m the mode where I give out the impression of an air mob .
[How much is one night in this inn?]
[800 Marks . ] (T/N: Maka)
The unit “Mark” seems to be named after the god of commerce .
I’ve heard this information from the woman where I had bought my bread earlier .
Well, I actually wasn’t asking her .
She just told me about it .
After hearing the cost of one night, I thought for a bit .
With this cost of a night in this inn, I should have enough money for quite a while...
However, it seems that this inn only have shared rooms .
I have Pigimaru with me so I really want to avoid sharing a room with anyone...
I left that “low-class” inn and checked out a “middle-class” inn next .
The accommodation fee for this one is 2000 Marks per night .
It seems that there are scarcely any rooms at all, probably because of that recruitment for the ruins raid .
But fortunately, there are still some unoccupied private rooms left .
I think it’s because there are hardly any rooms left, it’s possible that this is already the base price for the room .
After this room were filled up, do I have no choice but check out those “high-class” inns?
Let’s see...
It should be fine if I stay here .
[Hmm?]
The innkeeper is staring at me .
They clearly don’t look favorable at all .
Ah, could it be—
[Umm, I’ve actually just came from a really long trip so my clothes had become dirtied by the things I’ve encountered on my journey... If it’s possible, can you sell me something for me to wear while I wash my clothes?]
I take out a silver coin from my pouch .
I placed it down on the counter and presented it towards the innkeeper .
[This is just... a little something for the troubles . Ah... I plan to enter the room after I’ve changed my clothes, so you don’t have to worry about me getting the bedding dirty . ]
The innkeeper’s mood completely changed after hearing my words .
[Y— Yes yes! Certainly! Well then, should I show you around the inn!? Regarding about your change of clothing, we’re already preparing for a replacement for them right away!]
The innkeeper roughly checked the measurements of my body .
The innkeeper then smiled and nodded .
[Please wait for a few minutes!]
The unpleasant atmosphere they had at first had completely disappeared .
It’s completely fine now .
[Umm, excuse me . ]
[Yes?]
[If’ it’s possible, umm... I’d like to take my luggage into my room first...]
[Yes! Of course, it’s all right! Ah, now that I think about it, this sir’s name would be—?]
[——–]
Name, huh .
I think it would be bad if I give my real name here...
Fortunately, there’s no sign of anyone needing something similar to an ID card in here .
If that’s the case, using a false name could also be possible .
It’s bad if I take my time on answering .
It would be really suspicious .
I hurried thought up a false name and replied .
[I’m Hati Skoll . ]
I have arranged those names from that wolves that had appeared from Norse Mythology .
Well, they were fairly famous names back there, but I expect that it wouldn’t be the same in this place .
The people who could sniff out the meaning of those names were not in this place either .
[Hati-sama, is it? Certainly!]
The innkeeper writes my name in some kind of book that looks like the register of this place .
[This is the key for the room! While you’re placing your luggage in there, I will prepare the washroom and your change of clothes~]
Based on how he responded, it seems that the way he deals with customers changes depending on who he’s dealing with .
I think I’m being treated as a good customer .
Well, enough about that .
It’s also difficult for me to say that I’m troubled since he had a strong impression about him giving others strange generosity .
But, I think this should be many times better than him being suspicious of me .
v
I went up the stairs and entered the room where I would be staying .
This should be about 8 tatami mats wide?
There’s a bed beside the window .
The other furniture were kept on the minimum and the room is quite simple .
However, the room is clean .
They must have been thoroughly cleaning this place .
I place down my leather bag and lock the door .
Confirming that there are no signs of people around, I call out towards my partner .
[Pigimaru . ]
[Pyuu . ]
Pigimaru descends down to the floor and turned back to his round, jiggly shape .
[Can you hide somewhere in this room for a while? I don’t think you can’t hide anywhere when I’m changing clothes . ]
[Pii~!]
Pigimaru turned into the green of affirmation .
[Good boy . Also, when something unexpected happens—]
[Pigi~!]
Pigimaru did it before I even finished saying it .
He turned into his spherical form .
But, the size have turned a bit smaller .
Kotsu, kotsu~
The surface of his body became really hard .
Yes— it’s as if he turned into a crystal ball .
[It’s perfect . ]
[Pii . ]
If he were to be exposed to the public, I’ll just say that I’m involved in a “business that uses a crystal ball” .
If they still persist and ask what this business is, I’ll say that I’m a fortune teller or a magic user in the middle of training .